Summary
Knightstone sits on Weston‑super‑Mare’s northern seafront, where the huge tides of the Bristol Channel wrap around the old island and Marine Lake. It’s a convenient, promenade‑style mark with railings and hard standing, ideal for short sessions around the top of the tide. Expect bass and mullet in the warmer months and a run of whiting on winter nights, with flounder a year‑round staple.
Location and Access
Knightstone is on the promenade at the north end of Weston‑super‑Mare’s main beach, beside Marine Lake and the small ‘island’ complex. Access is simple and mostly flat, with multiple pay‑and‑display options close by.
- Drive to Knightstone Road, Weston‑super‑Mare (around BS23 2AD) and follow signs for Marine Lake/Knightstone Island.
- Pay‑and‑display parking along Knightstone Road and the nearby seafront; additional car parks are a short, level walk along the prom.
- The fishing is from the seaward railings, lake outer wall and adjacent concrete platforms; no need for boots or scrambling if you stay topside.
- Terrain is concrete, steps and railings with rock armour at the base; do not climb onto the boulders or mudflats.
Seasons
This is an estuary‑influenced, shallow, high‑tide venue. Expect estuarine species with peak activity on the flood and at dusk.
- Spring to early summer: school bass, flounder, thin‑ and thick‑lipped mullet; odd plaice/sole on neaps at night.
- High summer: bass (including better fish in a breeze), mullet around sluices, eels (catch‑and‑release strongly advised), the odd smoothhound pup.
- Autumn: bass on crabs/sandeel, mullet linger into mild spells, increasing whiting after dark; occasional pouting.
- Winter: whiting in numbers on dark tides, flounder, the odd codling in a blow (much rarer nowadays), small conger after dark from rougher edges.
Methods
Short‑range, tide‑aware tactics score here. You’re fishing moving water lanes and gutters rather than long distances across shallow sand.
- Bottom fishing: 2‑hook flapper or loop rigs with size 2–1/0 hooks for flounder/whiting; pulley‑dropper (3/0) only if you’re targeting a bass in a blow.
- Leads: strong tide requires 5–7 oz breakout leads on springs; 4–5 oz may hold on neaps.
- Baits: local blow lug or rag for flounder/whiting/sole; peeler/soft crab and sandeel for bass; small mackerel or squid strips for whiting/pouting. Keep baits small and well‑whipped with elastic.
- Mullet: float or free‑line bread flake near the sluice/outflow; 4–6 lb fluoro, size 8–12 fine‑wire hooks; steady bread mash helps.
- Lures for bass: small metals and surface/sub‑surface plugs at first light or dusk in settled spells; best along the seaward wall when there’s a gentle push of tide.
- Tackle notes: a 11–13 ft beachcaster or estuary rod with 20–30 lb braid/0.35–0.40 mono and shock leader; a drop net helps for safe landing.
Tides and Conditions
Weston dries a long way on the ebb, so time your trip. The huge range means water and current concentrate around Knightstone on the upper half of the tide.
- Best states: 2 hours before to 2 hours after high water; avoid dead low as it’s too shallow/muddy.
- Springs vs neaps: springs bring push, colour and bass opportunities but need heavier leads; neaps are kinder for holding bottom and mullet/sole at night.
- Light and timing: dusk into dark is prime for whiting and better bass; early morning for mullet and lure sessions.
- Sea and wind: a mild onshore chop and coloured water helps bass; in heavy onshore blows the wall can overtop—stand well back or give it a miss.
- Water clarity: usually tea‑coloured; lures work after settled periods or on neaps with cleaner water.
Safety
This is a convenient, urban mark—but the Bristol Channel is unforgiving. Respect the tide and keep to safe, railed areas.
- Do not venture onto mud/sand flats—they are soft and dangerous, and the flood runs fast.
- Stay behind railings; lower steps and rock armour are slippery with weed and can be overtopped.
- Wear a buoyancy aid/lifejacket in rough weather; use non‑slip footwear and a headtorch after dark.
- Keep clear of any RNLI or council slipways and the Marine Lake inner areas used by swimmers/watersports.
- Accessibility: level promenade access suitable for trolleys and wheelchairs; choose railed positions with room for a drop net and keep tripods clear of walkways.
Facilities
You’re in town, so facilities are close by. Plan around seasonal opening hours.
- Public toilets by the seafront/Marine Lake area (seasonal hours) and further along the prom.
- Cafés, kiosks and shops at Knightstone and along the seafront; supermarkets in walking distance.
- Pay‑and‑display parking near the venue; check time limits.
- Mobile signal is generally strong.
- Tackle and bait: several shops in Weston‑super‑Mare and nearby—check current opening times; fresh local lug is excellent if you can dig legally on low tides.
Tips
A few local quirks make a big difference. Treat it like a fast estuary rather than an open coast beach.
- Don’t chase distance—drop baits on the edge of the main flow lanes as the flood wraps the island.
- Fresh blow lug outfishes frozen most days; small, neat baits get more hook‑ups in the flow.
- For mullet, introduce bread mash little and often; present flake naturally on long, light hooklengths.
- In summer, crabs are relentless—use bait elastic and tougher baits, or fish neaps/colder snaps.
- A 6–7 oz breakout is often the difference between holding and trundling on spring tides.
- Night fishing ups your odds for whiting and a better bass; keep lighting discreet to avoid spooking mullet.
- Expect weed on some tides; keep gear high, reduce exposed line, and re‑cast to keep leads set.
Regulations
Follow local signage and current national measures. Rules can change—check before you go.
- Knightstone/Marine Lake: fishing is typically on the seaward side. Do not fish inside Marine Lake or from marked bathing/watersports areas or slipways when in use; North Somerset Council signage takes precedence.
- Bass measures: regulations are updated periodically. In recent years, retention has been limited to a small daily bag with a 42 cm minimum in set months, with catch‑and‑release outside those months—check current UK guidance before retaining any bass.
- Eels: European eel is in serious decline; catch‑and‑release is strongly advised for any eel caught incidentally.
- IFCAs: this coastline falls under regional IFCA byelaws (e.g., gear and minimum sizes may apply locally). Check the latest byelaws before retaining fish.
- General: no rod licence is required for sea fishing in England; observe any seasonal beach restrictions, keep clear of RNLI operations, and return undersized fish promptly.
